National Defence committee  For me, sir, I'm fortunate; a friend of mine actually has horses, so I've been exposed to both. With the dog, it's a different relationship. The dog gives you a sense of protection. When we're walking through malls, it gives us that buffer zone and it gives us a sense of protection.

National Defence committee  I had a dog at a very young age, which I can barely even remember, so I personally don't believe it's just based on having a dog as a child. I believe anyone who wants to get involved is a dog lover. For someone who doesn't like dogs, obviously this program isn't for them. You have to have that bond with a dog, but the dog also has to have that bond and be able to trust you as well.

National Defence committee  Thank you, sir.

National Defence committee  I couldn't speculate on that. All I know is that I felt like I was targeted because I was having mental health issues.

National Defence committee  I'll start because I'm sure I haven't had as much as he has in this. It also relates to why I have what they call survivor's guilt. Compared to my friends who I lost over there, I had it easy. I was in charge of the crypto. I was the one and only person involved with ensuring that all the crypto got out to all the FOBs and all the bases.

National Defence committee  Crypto? Sorry—

National Defence committee  Okay. I was fortunate enough, whenever I had to go around, to be flying in a helicopter, but when we were engaged with ground air attacks, I felt helpless. I was basically at the mercy of the door gunners. It gives you a sense of no control. You're at their will. You can't do anything, right?

National Defence committee  Their dogs are soldiers. Their dogs have ranks. They have service numbers. Their dogs usually have a rank higher than the owner, which protects the dog, because if the owner mistreats or abuses that animal, the animal has a higher rank than the soldier. That's something that I think would benefit us: incorporating it into the dog program here and getting these dogs recognized as members of the Canadian Forces.

National Defence committee  Yes, sir, they were. They even went as far as wanting me to cancel one of my regular appointments so that I would not miss our Christmas dinner. When I refused to do so, I was raked over the coals. To me, my mental health and my regular appointments are more important than going to a Christmas dinner, which promotes, as we all know, drinking and everything else.

National Defence committee  I've moved off of that base, thankfully. I go back there to visit. I see friends of mine. If anything, sir, I can honestly say that I feel it's gotten worse in Shilo. Shilo is a very isolated base, for those who don't know. It's very isolated. There are a lot of problems down there because the troops are afraid to come forward.

National Defence committee  I'm not sure if this falls within what you're asking, but Dr. Meaney, I know, has done research on it with the levels of the release of oxytocin in our bodies when interacting with animals. The release of that will help you with the decrease of anxiety, stress, and depression. I know he's done studies to that level.

National Defence committee  Yes, sir. You see them widely in hospitals, in hospices. Just going through Confederation Park earlier today was kind of ironic, because I saw the statue of the dog from way back in the wars. If they're good enough to be mascots and basically soldiers back in history, why did we get away from that?

National Defence committee  With that, sir, from my point of view, after I started working with my dog, I went from being driven from Shilo to Brandon twice a week for appointments at the OSI clinic. After I started to work with my dog, my meds went down and my appointments for depression went from twice a week to once every two weeks.

National Defence committee  Yes, sir. Because I was one of the first trying to get involved with this on our working base in Shilo, I was hauled into the RSM's office. There were approximately four other officers there, including my OC, the adjutant of the unit.... I basically got chewed out for what I believe is trying to get myself additional help.

National Defence committee  Yes.